Sowore Slams Trump over Venezuela ‘Invasion’, Alleges Plot to Loot Oil Resources
By Yahaya Idris, Abuja
Omoleye Sowore, fiery Nigerian activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, has vehemently condemned United States President Donald Trump’s reported moves to “capture” Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, describing it as a thinly veiled excuse for resource exploitation.
ThevRenowned Nigerian rights activist and #RevolutionNow convener, Omoleye Sowore, yesterday fired sharp criticism at US President Donald Trump over what he termed an “illegal invasion” of Venezuela, accusing the American leader of plotting to seize the South American nation’s vast oil reserves under the guise of regime change.
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Sowore, who is no stranger to battling perceived imperial overreach, took to his verified social media handles to blast Trump’s aggressive posturing towards Maduro, whose government has faced crippling US sanctions since 2019.
“Trump’s capture of Maduro is nothing but an excuse for resource exploitation. Venezuela’s oil belongs to Venezuelans, not American oil barons!” Sowore declared in a viral post that has garnered thousands of reactions from Nigerian and global followers.
The activist’s outburst comes amid heightened tensions following Trump’s inauguration rhetoric and reported US military maneuvers near Venezuelan waters, which critics say signal a potential escalation beyond economic sanctions.
Sowore, a two-time presidential candidate under the African Action Congress (AAC), drew parallels to historical Western interventions in Africa, warning that “the same playbook used to plunder our continent is now targeting Latin America.”
The White House has dismissed claims of an imminent invasion, insisting that support for Venezuelan opposition figures remains diplomatic and humanitarian.
However, Trump’s recent statements vowing to “end the Maduro tyranny” have fueled speculations of direct intervention, reminiscent of the 1989 US invasion of Panama.
Sowore, who was detained for over four months in 2019 by Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) over his #RevolutionNow protests against bad governance, used the opportunity to urge African leaders to speak out.
“Nigeria and Africa must condemn this neocolonial aggression. Silence makes us complicit,” he added.
Venezuela sits atop the world’s largest proven oil reserves, over 300 billion barrels, yet production has plummeted to under 800,000 barrels per day due to sanctions, mismanagement, and infrastructure decay.
Analysts argue that Trump’s hawkish stance aligns with interests of US energy firms eyeing Caracas’s Orinoco Belt, a supergiant oilfield.
Nigerian political watchers see Sowore’s intervention as consistent with his pan-Africanist stance, having previously criticized US policies on coups in West Africa and arms deals in the Sahel.
“Sowore is reminding us that imperialism doesn’t spare resource-rich nations, whether in Latin America or our backyard,” said Dr. Chidi Odinkalu, former National Human Rights Commission chairman.
As global oil prices hover around $75 per barrel amid Middle East tensions, the Venezuela showdown could reshape energy markets, with ripple effects for Nigeria’s NNPC Ltd and OPEC quota negotiations.
Sowore’s condemnation has sparked mixed reactions online, with supporters hailing his boldness while critics accuse him of meddling in foreign affairs.
No response from the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as at press time.
